Cigarette package having opening means



Sept. 7, 1954 B. UDEL 88,434

CIGARETTE PACKAGE HAVING OPENING MEANS Filed May 3, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BER/v4 R0 0051.

9 no way Sept. 7, 1954 Filed May a, 1949 B. UDEL CIGARETTE PACKAGE HAVING OPENING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 7, 1954 CIGARETTE PACKAGE HAVING OPENING MEANS Bernard Udel, Baltimore, Md.

Application May 3, 1949, Serial No. 91,045

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to packages for cigarettes and the like.

It is the usual custom for smokers to tear off a corner of the conventional cigarette pack and remove the cigarettes from the opened corner. In the pack as now constructed, it is difficult to tear properly, and after a few cigarettes have been removed the others are hard to reach and the pack has to be jarred or shaken to brin the cigarettes into the desired position. Then, when there are only a few remaining in the pack, they are loose and become damaged or fall out of the pack, and the pack itself having no rigidity or reenforcing means is easily crumpled, thus damaging the remaining cigarettes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cigarette pack that will overcome the above stated objectional features.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive package of the character described.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character described which will be applicable to the conventional size and shape package now in use so that production changes and increases in cost will be negligible.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a slit and a cut out portion transversely opposite said slit, both being in the end portion of the inner wrapper to be opened.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of means for facilitating the "opening of a package of cigarettes to provide a uniform open end.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of means to indicate the opening point of a cigarette package.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of means for keeping cigarettes nested together in a package.

Other and. further objects of the present invention will appear in the following description and claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the inner wrapper for a pack of cigarettes which usually comprises metal foil with an inner facing of paper, and illustrating a slit and a cut out portion that is transversely opposite said slit when. the wrapper is formed into a package.

Figure 2. is a perspective view of a pack of cigarettes made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3 is the same as Figure 2, except that it shows the first step in opening a cigarette pack,

and further illustrates how the slit and cut out portion provides a simple means for tearing an end portion of an inner wrapper to expose the contents of a package.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a pack ready for use, the top end being torn off along the perforated edges.

Figure 5 is a modified form of the invention showing in Figure l, the outer wrapper having a greater removable portion, permitting the uncovering of a greater areavwhen the opening tab is pulled.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical view showing the construction of the exterior wrapper when the modified form is used.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a complete pack ready to be opened and showing the wrapper illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the modified form and showing the pack after the corner has been removed, with the cigarettes ready for withdrawal.

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of a partially empty pack with the side of the outer and inner wrapper of the pack removed.

Figure 10' is a view taken on the line lll-l0 of Figure 9, with means for moving the cigarettes toward the opening.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a follower which is placed in the pack to move the cigarettes towards an opening in the pack.

Figures 12. and 13 are modified forms of the spring shown attached to the follower in Figwe 11.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, and first to the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4,. the numeral l5 represents the tinfoil and paper combination wrapper that contains the cigarettes. The top portion I6 is adapted to be folded on line I! and further folded on the dotted lines I8 above line I! to close the pack. The lower portion [9 is likewise folded on the dotted lines to close the bottom of the pack. The wrapper I5, which comprises the top portion l6 and the lower portion l9, includes the conventional tucks and. flaps which are adapted to be folded in a manner to enable the wrapper to snugly conform to the configuration of the cigarette package.

The topportion I6 is provided with a cut out portion at 20, one side of the cut out portion having a vertical wall 2|, the opposite wall 22 of portion 23 being disposed at an angle, and the upper portion 24 of wall 22 being angularly disposed. Portion 23 is provided with a fold line 25 of approximately 45 degrees. The portion 23 is provided with a stippled portion 26 that may be colored if desired.

The top portion I6 at one end is provided with a slit 2! that provides a tab 28, the slit permitting the folding of the top portion l6 so that two tabs are formed, portion 23 and portion 29.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a scored line 39 is provided and it extends from the base of the vertical wall 2| to the base of the slit 21.

From the description it can be seen that the cut out portion 20 and the slit 21 permits the folding of the top portion l6 and when folded,

the vertical wall 2| is in transverse alignment with the vertical wall 3| of tab 28, and edge 32 is in alignment with walls 2| and 3|.

To open a package of cigarettes as shown in Figures 1 to 4, tab 23 is lifted at the stippled portion 26 and during the lifting the tab 29 is freed, and by pulling tab 23 the scored line 36 will give, allowing the corner of the wrapper to be removed and exposing the contents of the package.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 5 to 9, in Figure 5 the tinfoil and paper combination l5, which constitutes the inner Wrapper, is provided with a scored line 40 in place of the scored line 30, and it is to be noted that the side scores 4| and 42 are disposed at an inward angle to the horizontal scores 43 and 44, the score 44 being below the fold line H.

The outer wrapper 45 shown in Figure 6, is provided with a cut out portion 46 having inwardly disposed walls 41 and 48, the horizontal base line 49 being below the top edge 50. By providing the outer wrapper 45 with the cut out portion 46, it can be seen that when the tinfoil inner wrapper is opened along the scored lines 40, 4|, 42, 43 and 44, the opening will conform to the opening or cut out portion 46. As shown in Figures '7 and 8, the edges of the walls 41 and 48 are disposed at a steep angle and when the tinfoil and paper combination portion is removed on the scored lines 46, 4|, 42, 43 and 44, the side walls and base conform to the configuration of the outer wrapper.

The procedure for opening the package, using the modified form, is identical with the previous form described, hence it is believed no further description is necessary. As shown in Figure 9, a follower 66 is shown, the follower keeping the cigarettes nested together and feeding them to the open end of a package. The follower comprises a spring 6| of irregular configuration and it is secured by any suitable means to suitable have it understood that the showing is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is:

In an inner wrapper for a cigarette package, a front panel covering the front face of said package, side panels joined to said front panel cover ing the sides of said package, overlapping rear panels covering the'rear face of said package, overlapping tucks and flaps hinged to said front, side and rear panels along fold lines tolfor-m top and bottom closures, one of said overlapping flaps on said top closure being cut transversely along a line parallel to and spaced inwardly from the top edgeof one of said side panels to form a folded tab between said out and said last-named side panel, the flap opposite said out flap being notched transversely, said notch extending outwardly to the foldline of said last-named flap and forming a folded tap which is positioned between said notch and said last-named side panel, and the extremity of which overlies the firstnamed tab, one edge ofsaid notch being in alignment with said slit and theother edge of said notch lying on a diagonal extending toward a rear panel and inclined toward said last-named side panel, said wrapper having a line of weakness extending along the fold lines defining the hinged lines of said tabs and the fold lines defining the hinged line between said side panel and its inwardly folded tuck whereby said tabs and tuck may be easily severed from the wrapper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,785,639 Maurer Dec. 16, 1930 1,824,948 Fields Sept. 29, 1931 1,864,872 Straus June 28, 1932 1,970,349 Wall Aug.'14, 1934 2,242,694 Booth May 20, 1941 2,305,428 Johnson Dec. 15, 1942 2,373,524 Vollmer Apr.'10, 1945 

